Turn Back the Pages
by Kita Kudai
Summary: Deidara meets a strange woman in a church and as he grows to know her better he grows to love her more. But her heart belongs to someone else - An Uchiha. When she dies he is devastated and swears revenge on the man who killed her. Dei/OC/TO AU


**In honor of summer, I have decided to write my friends a bunch of one-shots. This one is dedicated to Nobara-chan, whom of which is the main character of this story.**

**I don't own Naruto.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

_He remembered the day they met:_

He was falling. He could do nothing as he fell towards the building. He braced himself for impact, wincing as his back crashed into the roof of it. The wood splintered around him, cutting his pale skin and tearing at his arms and legs. He could see his long blond hair whipping around him as he fell back. He landed on something hard and wooden. A groan was released from his mouth without him wanting it to.

For a moment he just lied their, hoping to every deity there was that he could just die. He was in so much pain. Everything hurt, every movement he made, everything thought, every twitch. Everything was causing him undeniable agony that he just hoped he could die. He didn't hear the soft, almost timid footsteps walking towards him. Nor did he open his sapphire eyes to see the woman leaning over him, worry written on her face.

"He-llo?" She called, "Hello?"

He groaned, opening his eyes, finally seeing her. She smiled and leaned back. Sunlight shone down on her face, making her golden hair shine, like a halo circling her head. Blue eyes were filled with relief as she looked down at him, gently touching his chest, making sure he had a pulse. He blinked, unsure if she were real or not.

"Finally!" She cheered when he looked at her.

"This heaven, hmm?" He asked.

He was certain he was dead. He had fallen from one of his clay creations, at least four hundred feet in the air. The drop alone should have killed him. He looked at her. She didn't look like a shinobi. Her hands were too soft, not a single callous on them. She didn't wear a headband either. If she did she wasn't wearing her gear and she hadn't been expecting to see anyone drop through the roof today.

"Not quite. It's a church in the slums."

Slowly he sat up, wincing but knowing nothing was broken. He may have been sore but he knew he'd survive. He looked at her, seeing her back up slightly but still hover close, as if she were worried he were hurt. He smiled. Normally others shied away from shinobi but she didn't. He knew she knew he was a shinobi for she could obviously see the headband on his head yet she didn't look scared. She was more fascinated by him than anything.

"An angel, hmm?" He teased.

The young woman smiled and shook her head. She let a laugh escape her lips. The young man listened, liking the sound of her laugh. It wasn't an overly loud laugh, nor was it an annoying laugh that grated on one's nerves after just a few seconds. It was light, carefree and almost innocent in a way. More than anything it was something he never thought he'd hear again, especially since there was a war going on.

"Hardly. I'm Nobara," She said, "Call me Noba."

He cocked his head to the side, not expecting to get her name. Though, she had a nice name. He liked it. Nobara meant wild rose. She was pretty, he had to admit it. She was much like her name sake, unruly and unpredictable. He could just tell it by the mischievous look in her eyes. It made him grin as he looked at her, knowing her smile was contagious.

"I'm Deidara, yeah."

"Nice to meet you!"

"So… you saved me, hmm?" He asked.

"Not really. All I said was hello and you moved on your own." Noba said with a shake of her head.

She smiled and offered her his hand. For a moment he stared at it but then took her hand in his and allowed her to pull him back to his feet. A shriek escaped her lips and she pulled her hand back. He grinned, expecting that sort of reaction from her. Curiously she took his hand once more, with both hands, flipping it over to see a small mouth resting in the palm of his hand. The tongue lashed out, almost licking her once more.

"Neat." She remarked.

"You don't think they're weird, hmm?"

"Now way! I've never seen anything cooler!"

There was the soft thump of footsteps walking towards them. The two turned. Nobara took a step towards the man, smiling. It was obviously someone she knew but Deidara tensed. There was something about the man that set him on edge. He didn't like the way he was looking at him, with but a single eye since the rest of his face was covered by an obnoxiously orange and black mask. A demonic red eye watched him from behind the safety of the mask.

"Tobi!" Nobara said in acknowledgement.

"Hello, Noba-chan! Who's your friend?"

"This is Deidara. He fell through the roof!"

* * *

_He remembered her when she told him she was getting married:_

He hadn't yelled at her, rather loudly, screaming at the top of his lungs like he wanted to. His voice got softer and he sank to the couch, watching her with hurt in his eyes, but she hadn't noticed. She was too busy chattering away at how kind he was and how great he was and how he'd never leave her. Through the time that Deidara spent with her he had grown to love her. He couldn't deny the feeling of jealousy that burned in his heart or the feeling of guilt for not telling her sooner.

"What do you think Deidara?" She hand asked.

"About?"

"My marriage, duh!" She said, as if it were obvious.

Deidara stared at her, wondering whether or not he should tell her what he had wanted to tell her all along. A part of him screamed, begged and demanded that he told her what he really felt of the wedding. But the other part said don't. He couldn't tell. She was happy with Tobi. He couldn't hurt her happiness to make himself happy. How was he to know that she would be happy with him? He had no proof she even thought of him the way he thought of her.

"I'm happy for you, un." He said, trying to mean it.

He forced a smile, hoping it didn't look as pathetic as he felt. She smiled, buying the smile or so it seemed. She turned and looked at herself in the mirror. The two of them were going to go out for a picnic, like she had promised him before she told him she was getting married. She looked down at the ring on her hand, feeling her heart sink further and further into the depth of despair as the seconds rolled by.

She had wanted him to tell her he didn't want her to marry, that he wanted her to stay by his side and only his side. She wanted him to fight for her and say he'd take no one else. But how was he to know? She had never told him how she felt and now it was far too late. She would marry Tobi. She'd watch the man she'd truly loved from afar, finding love and living happily while she remained bound to Tobi until her dying day.

* * *

_He remembered her wedding:_

He stood in the crowd, watching as she took steps down the aisle towards Tobi. Regret was burning in his heart. He wanted nothing more than to take her and run for it. He wanted to keep her away from Tobi. The man had done nothing to make Deidara trust him anymore. Despite that, Nobara was still marrying him and she would be his – not Deidara's.

"Do you, Nobara? Take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?" The priest asked.

"I do." She said, as if with finality.

"And do you, Tobi? Take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do."

Deidara could almost feel the heat of Tobi's smirk from behind the mask he wore. That mask, the very one that had made him so mad, seemed to taunt him as the man that Deidara hated so much drew close to Nobara, as if lovingly. It was all a show. Deidara knew better but he was furious that no one else could see through his charade. It was just a game to Tobi. Nobara and Deidara were just pawns while Tobi was the king.

"And would anyone gathered here today, have a reason as to why these to should not be wed?" The priest asked, "Speak now or forever hold your peace."

In that moment Deidara should have spoken. He should have jumped from his chair and screamed all the reasons why they shouldn't marry. He should have run up, grabbed Nobara and ran for it. He should have but he didn't. It was something he'd regret for the rest of his life, that one instance was the one he would have given anything to go back and change.

* * *

_He remembered her death:_

Tobi could see the look of hurt, written on his face. The man seemed to relish it as he slowly moved back his mask to kiss his bride. Then he noticed a single tear run down her cheek as she looked at Deidara. Anger boiled under his skin. He could take it not longer. Nobara was to be his and only his. He would not stand for her eyeing another man like she had been for all the years that she knew him.

He seized her wrists, dragging her over to the edge of the balcony. Below there was a sixty story drop. _It would be enough to kill her_, he thought sadistically. He could see the terror forming in her eyes. She looked to Deidara, almost pleading for him to help her for Tobi's grasp on her wrists was too hard, it was bruising her and he didn't care about anything. Deidara felt himself rise to his feet, staring in horror at what the groom was about to do to his bride.

"No…" Escaped his lips.

"Say farewell, Deidara…" Tobi taunted.

"Noba!" Deidara screamed.

With that Tobi shoved her off the side of the balcony. Even though she was a shinobi, even if she had all the chakra reserves in the world she never would have survived the fall. That didn't stop Deidara from running to the edge and jumping off. As he fell after her he stretched out his hand, trying to take hers. She reached back, trying to take his hand. Deidara turned, seeing that Tobi had jumped as well. His eyes widened when he saw the sadistic look of the man's eye staring at Nobara.

"Deidara!" Nobara cried.

"Nobara, un!"

There was a sudden explosion. Deidara's eyes widened as Nobara's eyes slowly slid shut. Her hands went limp and her whole body fell slack. A bomb had been attached to her. Tobi had killed her. He had killed his own bride. He had killed Deidara's only love. He had destroyed the last piece of innocence that Deidara had ever seen.

Deidara seized her body, holding her head close to his chest, trying to not let the tears fall out of his eyes. He dimly remembered creating a clay creation and landing on it, holding Nobara for all his worth and screaming her name at the top of his lungs. He watched as Tobi fell past. He didn't care whether the man lived or not. His thoughts were too focused on Nobara's cold body in his arms. Blood was everywhere but he didn't care.

"Nobara!"

"For the… both of us…" She whispered, "Live…"

It was the last thing she had ever said. Those very words would haunt him for as long as he lived, he knew they would. He'd wake, having nightmares about her death and where she'd scorn him for not getting to her sooner, for not saving her, for not protecting her. He didn't hear the loud wordless scream that escaped his lips as he watched his dearly beloved die.

* * *

_He remembered burying her:_

He stood at her grave, a makeshift one with a clay marker, one of his creations. He didn't cry, even as it seemed that the heaven's poured out their sadness during the funeral procession. Tobi didn't show up. Deidara was the first one there and the last one to leave. She was buried outside the small church where they met. He didn't know how long he stood in the rain, staring at her grave. It wasn't until one of her close friends came out of the church and pulled him into the shelter of the building that he left her side.

He still didn't cry, even though it felt like his heart had been cleaved into two pieces, even though he felt like the world had ended, even though he felt he was missing half of himself. The world was moving on, as if she had never even existed in the first place. That hurt more than anything. Someone so special had to die such a tragic way was more than unfair but he knew life was unfair.

"No one deserved this, un. Especially not her, yeah." He told the other woman.

Nobara's friend nodded in understanding. It was hard, for both of them. Nobara had been one of the most important people in their life and now she was gone. Nobara was like Kaori's sister except not by blood. She was taking it rather well considering how close the two of them had been. Deidara could see her eyes were red and puffy. He could tell she had already done her mourning in private.

"No matter how hard we try, we can't change the past. There's nothing that can bring them back." Kaori told him.

"Sometimes when I close my eyes, I can see her so clearly…" He told her almost pained.

"I know…" She whispered, "I see her too."

He felt to his knees, sobbing his heart out. Kaori watched him, remorsefully. The sight before her was pulling at her heart. He felt a pair of arms wrap around his shoulder. He was pulled against Kaori and he sobbed onto her shoulder. He could feel wet, hot tears soaking his hair but he couldn't bring himself to care. For a moment he was with someone who understood his pain and didn't judge him for the tears he was spilling.

* * *

_He remembered her love coming after __**him**__ for revenge for her death:_

"It's _your_ fault!"

The two of them looked up, tears still spilling down their cheeks. Kaori tensed when she saw Tobi standing at the edge of Nobara's church. She gripped Deidara's arm, helping him get back to his feet. Hatred burned in his chest at the man. How dare he accuse him of killing her when he was the one who pushed her off the edge of the balcony, when he was the one who blew her up? Deidara was shaking he was so mad.

"What do you mean, _my _fault, hmm?"

"If you hadn't interfered she wouldn't be dead!" Tobi screamed.

"You're the one who pushed her, yeah!"

Tobi screamed loudly, drawing a blade. Kaori's eyes widened as he lunged at Deidara and at the last second she pushed the blond out of the way, taking the knife to her chest, right in the heart. She looked at Tobi, a look of anger on her face. She spat blood into his face, hissing slightly as he twisted the blade in her chest.

"Damn you, Uchiha…" She spat as if it were venom on her tongue.

Tobi wrenched the knife out of her chest causing her blood spurt everywhere. Deidara was coated in the precious red liquid. He watched horrified as Tobi pulled back his mask, licking the knife. Then he felt his anger rise once more. Not only had Tobi killed Nobara, he had killed her best friend and he had gone completely out of his mind. Never had he seen a man so twisted before in his entire life. Yet he did nothing as he watched Tobi walk out of the church.

"It's Madara, now, bitch." Tobi hissed at her corpse.

Then he looked at Deidara, blood splattered all over him, making him look even more menacing with those red eyes of his. Deidara sank down next to Kaori's corpse, gathering the dead woman in his arms. Her eyes had already glazed over as her precious life blood poured out of her body, coating him in the red liquid ruby. Her body was growing colder and colder as she lay in his arms.

"How could you, hmm?" Deidara asked.

"Consider this a warning, Deidara." Madara said darkly.

* * *

_He remembered swearing revenge:_

"And… Should I choose revenge? Then what, hmm? She'll still be dead, yeah." He tried to tell himself, "They'll both be dead."

Despite that he still wanted to kill Tobi for murdering Nobara and Kaori. Neither woman deserved to die. He couldn't stop the thoughts of revenge that circled round and round in his head. He almost felt dizzy from having the thought circling round and round. His blood boiled and a sadistic smirk crossed his lips as he pictured Madara bleeding, dying and begging for mercy once Deidara was done with him.

The women wouldn't want to be avenged and he knew that. They wouldn't want him to get hurt for them even though they were gone. He wouldn't be able to rest until he knew that they were avenged, until he got back at Madara for taking the lives of two important people to him. He couldn't deny the hatred that he felt when he thought of Madara and the deaths of the women.

He couldn't sleep at night because of nightmares of their deaths where their ghosts came back. They were haunting him and blaming him for their deaths but he could always hear this soft voice in the back of his head, telling him it wasn't his fault and that the two never blamed him for Madara's choices when he woke. It was concerning that he was hearing voices but the voice was comforting, whispering comforting words in his head.

"He's not going to get away." He swore, "He'll pay… I'll make him pay, yeah."

He didn't seem to notice that the sky split open as if someone were crying. If he looked closely behind him he would have seen two transparent women standing behind him. One was crying as the other held her. Both of them were sad for the man that they had known so well. They wept for he had gone just as bad as Madara had and they knew that someone's blood was going to be spilt that night but whose blood they did not know.

* * *

_He remembered fighting, even though she was long past fighting for:_

He burst into the palace doors, scaring the guards and a few civilians that were in there, chatting away the Madara. He didn't care about the shocked looks on their faces or the way the guards eyed him with caution. Madara was the only thing on his mind, his only target. The guards, the civilians, they were nothing but blurs in his vision. He was shaking with rage, fully dressed for battle and the civilians could tell. It's what had the guards on edge.

"Madara, un!" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

He stomped towards Madara, scaring the civilians with the air of his fury. When a guard jumped in his path he pushed the man out of his way, nearly tossing him to the other side of the room from the amount of force he used. Madara smirked at him darkly, watching him draw closer and closer. He sat on his throne, lounging as Deidara crossed the room.

"Looks like the murderer came to play."

"The only murderer I see here is you, yeah." Deidara quipped.

"Is that so?" Madara asked, "Then let's play."

Madara jumped back as Deidara swung a punch at him. Madara jumped into the air. Deidara watched him, indolently. He leapt out of the way as Madara's foot came down where he once stood. The steps shattered underneath his foot, creating a large crater that would have had the blond at the bottom if he hadn't moved. Madara smirked and pulled a huge boulder out of the steps. Deidara ran towards it and punched it, shattering it into tiny pebbles without any effort.

However, he hadn't expected Madara to follow after the boulder. His eyes widened and he tried to jump back. Madara punched him in the chest and he was sent flying through the palace doors. Deidara somersaulted through the air and landed on his feet, skidding back a little. Fragments of the door fell across the floor. Madara merely smiled at him sadistically as he pulled his sword off of his back.

He let it touch the floor as he walked towards him. It sparked as it was dragged across the once clean floor. Deidara glowered at him. He wasn't ready to draw his katana yet but he was going to be soon. Madara cut down a statue. The pieces were sent flying at him. Deidara just jumped over them with ease. Madara was taunting him, warming up before the real fight began.

Madara grabbed a shield off of a rack. He threw it at Deidara. The blond just barely stepped back in time. It sliced right through a pillar. That pillar could have been him if he had been one second later. Though the thought of his death was there it seemed to scare him as much as he thought it would. Deidara couldn't help but wonder why that was.

Madara lunged at him once more. Deidara tried to jump back but found his back up against a pillar. Madara seized him by the wrist and flung him up. He was sent crashing through the roof of the palace. Thunder roared outside as Madara jumped up, after Deidara's flailing body. They met as he began to fall down, towards the palace. Deidara managed to swing himself around Madara so he was sitting on his back as they fell. The blond put Madara in a chicken wing, twisting his arm at an angle that wasn't very pleasant to be in. He held his face down so that he was sure to get it scratched up upon re-entry of the palace.

Madara elbowed him in the ribs, forcing Deidara to release him. He grabbed Deidara by the throat and held him down. He winced as he was sent crashing through the roof once more. When they were in the dead center of the room Madara spun around, kicking him in the chest. He was sent flying towards a pillar. Deidara gasped in pain when he shattered the pillar with his impact. Slowly he slid to the ground, wincing as he collapsed under some rubble that fell on top of him.

Deidara winced but forced himself to his feet. He was already hurting but he had to keep fighting. He couldn't afford to lose to Madara. He now had everything to lose because of this battle. He couldn't afford to look back now. He drew his katana. The sharp point of the blade was pointing at Madara's neck. Oh, how he desired to cut Madara's head from his shoulders. He deserved it. Deidara lunged at him, not even waiting for him to draw a kunai to defend himself with.

Deidara's katana sliced through the air and straight through Madara amazingly quick and precise. Perfect to most any other eyes. But to skilled shinobi eyes, unfortunately, the move just barely missed him but was sluggish in comparison to how much quicker Madara was, whose speed seemed to be somehow increasing. Because Madara had seen Deidara so weak only fueled his tainted desire for his blood even more.

Madara held the most power. He was stronger. He was faster. He had more stamina. But Deidara had the will to win and the desire to live. That didn't matter. The battle was as good as his. The battle was perfect. Deidara would fall and Madara would be hailed as a hero to all of those in Amegakure for ridding the city of a 'murderer.' Deidara would be just be another person wrongly punished for something he had nothing to do with.

"You can't win. Give up." Madara taunted.

"Never, yeah!" Deidara declared defiantly.

Deidara lunged for Madara. But just before his katana could pierce through him, Deidara vanished, leaving him lunging in the air at nothing. He gasped as Madara reappeared right behind him. Deidara turned quickly to block his attack but was shocked to see he had vanished again. Madara reappeared in an instant right above him. Deidara started to turn, but it was too slow. Madara was taunting him, showing the blond how much stronger he was.

Deidara narrowed his eyes. They lunged at one another at the same time. Their swords clashed, getting ripped from their owners' hands. The blades fell to the ground with a loud clatter. But that didn't stop the teens from continue lunging at one another. The twisted smile that Madara wore was back and this time he was laughing mirthlessly as he jumped.

Deidara pivoted to the right. He spun and kicked Madara right in the ribcage with the ball of his foot. Deidara didn't react when he heard the sickening crunch of Madara's ribs. Deidara just knew he had to keep fighting. Besides, he was used to crushing his enemies with ease. Madara sneered at him, reaching for the leg he kicked him with. Now it was Deidara's turn to smirk. He was already behind Madara.

Deidara drove his knee into Madara's back, right above his kidney. Madara winced upon contact, snarling at the smaller blond when he looked him in the eyes. Deidara hoped it would harm him internally. He knew Madara deserved some pain before he died. Madara skidded across the ground, flopping around like a fish as Deidara ran after his body. Deidara passed it with ease. Then he stopped in front of Madara's body, waiting to attack him again.

Interlacing his fingers, Deidara swung his interlocked hand into the side of Madara's neck as hard as he could. Madara tried to grab his wrists as he began to fall but Deidara pulled back. He returned Madara's gesture with a kind, heavily aimed blow to Madara's spine. Madara gasped, coughing up blood but Deidara kept a level head. He wasn't going to take it as a sign that he was winning. Instead he wrapped his arms around Madara's neck. Deidara pinned him to the ground with his knee.

Deidara gripped his fist with his other hand, putting Madara into a sleeper hold. He rest his knee against Madara's spine for leverage. He then leaned back, causing Madara to gasp in pain. Suddenly Madara elbowed Deidara in the chest. The younger man rolled off of him, slightly winded, hurting from the unexpected blow. However, he remained on his knees, refusing to fall down. Deidara looked up, barely in time to see Madara lunging at him with senbon in his hand. His hands shot up, grabbing Madara's wrists and pulling them away from his neck. Deidara twisted hard, making him drop it. A loud crack sounded from his fingers. Deidara had broken his fingers.

Then his other hand moved. Deidara's eyes widened when he realized Madara had a senbon in his other hands as well. Deidara dropped to the ground, rolling away as Madara's swing passed above her head. It had been aimed at his face and he was quite lucky that it just cut a few hairs off the top of his head but he had to be more careful. Deidara refused to let Madara win. He had to avenge Nobara's death.

Madara kept coming at him. Both of his hands were aiming senbon at Deidara's vitals. The blond scrambled backwards on the tile, barely staying clear. Madara swung at him desperately. Finally Deidara saw an opening. He took it. The younger man kicked Madara hard in the chest then hit him under the chin with an open palm. The older man stumbled back, spitting blood on the floor. Deidara merely smiled, knowing he had broken his jaw.

He lashed out once more. Madara's senbon were sent flying out of his hands. They became embedded in the walls. Madara's eyes narrowed as he glowered at Deidara. The young man didn't smirk or smile. He refused to grimace or grunt a response. He stared at Madara with impassive eyes, as if he were trying to convey to him that he really meant business. He wasn't going to take this battle as a joke. It wasn't funny at all.

Deidara turned away from Madara for a heart pounding moment. He ran to get his sword, which just sat on the ground, gleaming and flashing as the thunder roared outside. The sword almost looked innocent and harmless in the flashing light. Deidara dove and skidded across the ground, taking the sword with him as he slid across the ground. He rolled out of the way as Madara tried to stomp on his chest.

Deidara scrambled to his feet, ducking as Madara tried to punch him in the face. Then he shot back up. With one overhand swing he nearly beheaded his love's former dearly beloved fiancé. When he missed Deidara lunged at Madara once more. His blade tangled between two kunai that Madara had drawn. Deidara twisted around as quickly as he could. He slashed at Madara and barely scratched his arm. The blond glowered at him as he jumped back a pace or so.

The artist moved into action automatically. He rushed forward, lifting his blade, using a move so well practiced that it was as unconscious as a smile. He knocked aside Madara's blow, surprising him greatly. With a mighty battle cry he stabbed Madara right through the chest. The Uchiha's mouth opened in horror as he stared at the blade that now protruded from his back.

Blood splattered across the both of them. The Uchiha snarled at him and stabbed him in the chest with a kunai. It had just missed his heart by mere inches, any closer and he would be dead. Deidara winced, pulling back, twisting the blade as he ripped it out of his chest. Civilians watched, transfixed at the sight before them. Many were shaking and the guards were horrified by what they saw.

Hot blood splashed across the ground, as though someone had scattered ruby droplets. Madara staggered back. His face was a mask of surprise and then he dropped to the ground. Deidara stared at him, surprised. He had finally killed him, after everything he had put her through. He could never harm her or her loved ones again. He had gotten his revenge.

"It's done…" Deidara sighed contently.

* * *

_He remembered seeing her one last time:_

As the civilians swarmed flocking to his side and asking millions of questions Deidara looked up, seeing Nobara for one last time. She smiled, placing a finger to her lips. He wanted to run to her when he saw her walking away from him. His heart wrenched and it took all of his strength not to reach towards her and cry like a small child would.

"_I never blamed you…"_ Nobara said, _"Not once. You came. That's all that mattered."_

"Thank you." He whispered.

She smiled and vanished in a flash of light. No one else seemed to notice the ghost of the woman or the fact that Deidara was staring of into space as they chattered away, demanding answers as to why he killed their prince. He then focused on what they were saying, answering the questions as quickly and politely as he could.

* * *

**Mmm… Well, tell me what you think. For an AU I think it's pretty good… **

**Read and Review please!**


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